The user of public transportation must deal with a variety of constraints: his or her hands are full with objects to be transported, briefcase, school bags, errand items, etc. Public transportation is cramped and overcrowded; the sidewalk is busy; the stairs are narrow and steep; the public thoroughfare is governed by strict rules. After arriving at his or her destination, he or she must deal with social constraints whether at work or at school, and it can be difficult to change shoes and clothes. In addition, he or she must be able to use the aid in his or her usual attire.
It is also impossible to travel on the subway or train every day with a bicycle. It is difficult to go down stairs in roller skates; electric skateboarding are prohibited on public thoroughfares, such as a scooter; and even a vehicle such as the Segway®, designed for short-range city trips, turns out to be cumbersome on the sidewalk and not transportable on the subway and bus.
The state of the art comprises the Segway®, a platform aid comprising two wheels, rechargeable batteries, a central inertial stabilization device, and a handlebar that is integrated with the platform. This platform is not sufficiently compact to move along without difficulty on the sidewalk. It is too slow to move along on the road and, finally, its weight, in the order of 30 kg, prevents it from access to public transportation.
Patent DE 100 27 466 describes a unicycle onto which the pedestrian climbs on two pedals, rests his or her hands on a shaft that transmits the longitudinal inclination to the frame of the unicycle. An electronic device reads the longitudinal inclination of the unicycle by means of an electronic inclinometer and monitors the position of the wheel to maintain the balance of the user's center of gravity in order to prevent him or her from falling in accordance with an inverse tilt effect. The device moves forward as soon as the user inclines the shaft forward. The wheel exhibits a square shape so that the user is stable laterally. Because of this, path is guided within the longitudinal axis. The means for turning is not described, it is understood that it is necessary to briefly stand on the ground in order to convey lateral torque. Of course, turning the shaft cannot ensure rotation because the pedals and the shaft are integrated via the fork.
Patent DE 100 27 466 thus does not meet the criteria of the invention to the extent that it requires the user to hold the shaft with at least one hand, and what is more it does not permit agile and harmonious steering to the extent that only longitudinal travel is provided for. Finally, the electronic device controlling the motor is served by an inclinometer, which is a different solution than that adopted by the invention.